Transportation seat



p 1936. c. A. VAN DERVEER I 2,055,258

' TRANSPORTATION SEAT Filed May 51, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 -Qk wkN vmww @N MNN Sept. 22, 1936. c. A. VAN DERVEER 2,055,263

' TRANSPORTATION SEAT Filed May 31, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9[%02Zervem 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 51, 1934 I Liz! Sept. 22, 1936.

Patented Sept. 22, 1936 NlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to S. Karpen & Bros, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of West Virginia Application May 31, 1934, Serial No. 728,412

5 Claims.

This invention relates particularly to a transportation seat adapted for use in railway coaches and buses, although the invention may be employed elsewhere.

The primary object is to provide an improved seat of simplified construction which may be reversed in any direction, and which, in the operation of reversing the seat, will be laterally shifted. A further object is to provide an improved seatwhich is securely anchored against rocking in its several positions, and in which automatic means are provided for tilting the foot-rest. The invention also contemplates means for adjusting the hinged back etc. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as thespecification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front view in embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig.1; Fig. 3, a broken plan view of the base of theseat; Fig. 4, a plan view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the seat frame rotated to a position at right angles to the base; Fig. 5, a longitudinal sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 5 of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6, a sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 6 of Fig. 3,. p

In the illustration given, A designates a base frame; B, a carriage or block slidably mounted on base A; C, a seat frame rotatably mounted on carriage B; andD, a seat structure carried by the seat frame C- The frame A may be of any suitable construction. As shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 5, the frame A comprises two end pedestals or legs l which support at their tops the beams or track members H. The longitudinal beams II are provided on their inner sides with grooves l2 adapted to receive the rollers H which support the inner slidable block B, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The pedestals ii] are apertured on their inner elevation of a seat sides to provide bearings l4 adapted to receive the foot-rest pivot shafts l5. Secured to the shafts ill at their outer free ends are laterally extending bars it which support at their free ends the foot-rests ll. Secured to one of the bars I6 is an upwardly extending finger 18 which is preferably inwardly turned at I9 as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. Finger I8 is adapted to be engaged, as will be later described, by an abutment carried by the rotatable seat frame so as to throw the foot-rest to the proper position automatically when the seat is reversed.

The carriage or slidable block B is equipped, as has been described, with laterally extending rollers [3 which are received within the grooves I2 provided by the track members II.

The seat frame C is rotatably mounted upon the sliding carriage B. Frame C includes a seat plate 20 which is provided with an annular flange 2| extending within the collar 22 provided by the carriage B. A locking ring 23 is secured to the flange 22 by bolts 23 whereby the seat plate 20 issecured to block B. As shown more clearly in Fig. 5, the carriage B is preferably provided with concentric bearing rings 25 and 26 which engage the seat plate 20 and prevent its tilting. The seat plate 20 is provided at its corners with lateral extensions 21 which are secured to the tubular beams 28 of the frame by means of angle iron flanges 29. The vertical walls of the angle iron flanges 29 are preferably spot-welded to the tubular frame members 28 while the horizontal flanges are bolted to the lateral extensions 21 of plate 20 by bolts 30.

The tubular frame members 28 are secured at their ends to the tubular arm-rest frames 3! by spot-welding or other suitable means. The frames 3| have the somewhat rectangular or irregular shape shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The tubular seat frame members 28 are preferably reinforced bya central tubular transverse beam 32. The rear tubes 33 of the arm-rest frames 3| are connected near their bottoms by two parallel tubular members 3 and 35. Preferably, the

members 3 and 35 are buttressed by a support member 36 which is spot-welded to the rear beam 28 and also spot-welded to the members 3 and 35 as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 5.

In order to support the seat frame rigidly upon the base, I prefer to equip the tubular beams 28 with legs or supports Bl, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, which are adapted to rest upon the track members II when the seat frame is brought into longitudinal alignment with the base structure.

.I have also provided means for automatically tilting the foot-rests so that when the seat is shifted, each footrest is also tilted into the proper position. As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, the tubular frame members 28 are connected near their ends by cross-straps 38. The straps 38 have depending lugs 39 stuck therefrom and extending downwardly to such a distance as to engage the finger l8, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5. As the seat frame is rotated in one direction, the depending lug 3 9 at one end of the frame strikes the the opposite foot-rest i7 is raised to an inopera.

tive position below the seat frame structure D. Any suitable locking mechanism for securing the seat frame against rotation may be employed.

In the illustration given, the tubular frame mem bers 28 are connected near their ends by cross straps 40 which are centrally apertured to provide locking openings 4|. A spring-pressed plunger is housed within a recess 43 provided by frame A. The plunger 42 is preferably equipped at its lower end with a treadle member 44 by which the plunger 42 can be pressed downwardly to free it from engagement'with the locking opening 4!.

In order to further buttress the seat frame C against rocking, I prefer to equip each of the plates 40 with an inwardly turned tongue 45 which is adapted to'engaga as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, a vertical lug 46 carried by the frame A. The lug 46 has a horizontal terminal portion 41 which frictionally engages the tongue Has the seat frame is brought into the position shown in Fig. 5.

The seats are preferably provided with adjustable backs 48 which are hingedly mounted upon the tubular member 34 as shown in dotted lines 'in Fig. 2. Secured to each back at its side ad jacent the. arm-rest is a rod 49. The rod 49 is connected toa shifting bar 59 which is provided with a downwardlyexten-ding arm 5| connected by a tension spring 52 to the attachment 53. The

tension'of spring 52 tends to draw the back 48 toward its forward position. The forward end of bar 50 is provided with a series 'of notches 54 adapted to be engaged by a tooth 55 which is fixed to the arm frame. The bar 50 is provided with an adjustable screw 'stop 56 adapted to engage the abutment 51 of the frame t-olimit the forward movement of bar 59 and. thereby the seat back 48.

The forward end of bar 59 is connected by link 58 with a crank arm 59 pivotally secure-d to the frame at 60. The forward end of the crank arm 59 is curved to provide a handle 5| which extends within an open' portion 'of the arm-rest, where it may be grasped by the occupant of the chair. A spring 62 normally draws the rear portion of .crank arm 59 toward the 'upper portion of the frame.

' Resting upon the seat frame C are suitable spring cushion seats 63. Also, arm cushions 3W may be provided for the arm-rest frame 3| and secured to the top portion thereof, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

' Any suitable means may be provided for shifting the sliding block or carriage B laterally on the base A when the seat frame is rotated. In the illustration given, a strap or link 64 is pivotally secured at one end of the base frame A, as shown in Fig. 4, and at the other end to one of the bolts 24, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6.

7 In the operation of the seat, the base structure A is preferably so, arranged within the coach or V bus that the side of the base equipped with the operator presses down the treadle member 44 to release the plunger 42 from looking engagement with the recess 44 of plate 49 carried by the seat 7 frame C. The seat is then turned in the direction ,posite to that shown in Fig. 3, and at the same "time, drawing the carriage member B toward the wall. When the seat frame has swung into alignment with the base again, the plunger 42 enters the locking recess 4! which was formerly adjacent the wall. At the same time, the lip 45 carried by plate 49 engages the clamp 41 which is fixedto frame A and securely holds the frame C against tipping or rocking. The supports 31 carried by the tubular frame members I8 come torest upon the trackmembers II and provide a rigid support for the seat frame. As the seat frame C is swung to the reverse position, the downwardly extending lug 39 which was formerly adjacent the wall now strikes the finger I8 and tilts the foot-rest into proper position adjacent the rear wall of the seat.

7 In the operation of the hinged back 48, the occupant of the seat leans against the back 48 and draws the crank arm 6| upwardly to withdraw the notched bar 55 from engagement with the tooth 55. The hinged back may then be pressed rearwardly or allowed to move forwardly until it has assumed the desired position. The crank 61 is then released and spring 62 draws the bar 50 upwardly to bring one of the notches 54 into engagement with tooth 55.

While I have shown specific means for producing the results described, it will be obvious that mechanical equivalents may be readily substituted without departing from the spirit of my invention. The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1'. In a seat of the character set forth, a base providing longitudinal tracks, a carriage slidably mounted on' said tracks, a seat frame rotatably mounted in a horizontal plane on said carriage, a foot-rest member pivotally supported on said base, and means carried by said foot-rest cooperating with means on said seat frame for tilting said foot-rest into operative position when the seat frame is turned in one direction and-into inoperative position when the seat frame is moved in the opposite direction.

2. In a seat of the character set forth, a base providing longitudinal tracks, a carriage member slidably mounted on said tracks, a seat frame rotatably mounted on said carriage, a foot-rest device pivotally mounted on said base and having foot-rest arms extending on both sides of said base, and means carried by said seat frame engageable with means. on said foot-rest device actuating said device and rendering one of said arms operative and other inoperative alternately as the seat frame is rotated in opposite directions.

3. In a seat of the character set forth, a base, a seat frame rotatably mounted thereon, a footrest member pivotably supported on said base, and means carried by said foot-rest cooperating with means on said seat frame for tilting said foot-rest into operative position when the seat frame is turned in one direction and into inoperative position when the seat frame is moved in the opposite direction.

4. In a seat of the character set forth, a base, a tiltable foot-rest device pivotably mounted on said base and equipped with laterally extending foot-rests, a seat frame rotatably mounted on said base, and means carried by said seat frame engageable with means on said foot-rest actuating said device and rendering one of said laterally extending foot-rests operative and the other inoperative alternately as the seat frame is rotated in opposite directions.

5. In a seat of the character set forth, a base, a foot-rest device pivotally mounted in said base to tilt about a horizontal axis and equipped with laterally extending foot-rests on opposite sides of said base, said foot-rest device being provided with an upwardly extending actuating finger, and a seat frame rotatably mounted on said base and equipped at its ends with depending lugs adapted respectively to be brought into engagement with said finger When said frame is rotated toward the right or toward the left to tilt said foot-rest device.

CLARENCE A. VAN DERVEER. 

